1983 Bermondsey by-election

UK parliamentary by-election April 2022 1983 Bermondsey by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Bermondsey parliamentary seat no 1979 United Kingdom general election 1979 1983 United Kingdom general election 1983 24 February 1983 57.7% Simon Hughes 150x150px Liberal Party (UK) 17,017 57.7% 50.9% Peter Tatchell 150x150px Labour Party (UK) 7,698 26.1% 37.5% John O'Grady FFBBBB Real Berm. Labour 2,243 7.6% New party MP Subsequent MP Bob Mellish Labour Party (UK) Simon Hughes Liberal Party (UK) 1,631 5.5% Conservative Party (UK) Robert Hughes 19.4% Alliance On 24 February 1983, a by-election was held in the Bermondsey constituency in South London, following the resignation of Bob Mellish. Peter Tatchell stood as the candidate for the Labour Party, and Simon Hughes stood for the Liberal Party. Following a bitter campaign, the Liberals made huge gains and took the seat, with a majority of votes cast. Labour's vote fell from 63.6 per cent in May 1979 to 26.1 per cent as Tatchell came a distant second, while the Conservative candidate, Robert Hughes, managed only fourth place, losing his deposit. With a swing of 44.2%, the 1983 Bermondsey by-election is the largest by-election swing in British political history. Preliminaries Bob Mellish had represented the constituency and its predecessors in the House of Commons since 1946. He was the Labour Chief Whip from 1969 until 1976,https://members.parliament.uk/member/2828/career The Lord Mellish UK Parliament March 6, 2021 but had become disenchanted with the left-wing drift of the Labour Party. He resigned from the party in August and his Parliamentary seat in November 1982, amid much acrimony within the party. He had been in dispute with his constituency party for several years and had earlier threatened to resign if Peter Tatchell was selected as the next prospective parliamentary candidate.1 November 1982 M.P. Quits – To Force Vote 1 Liverpool Echo He was recruited by the Conservative government to the board of the London Docklands Development Corporation; as he did not wish to be disqualified, the post was made non-salaried until such time as Mellish chose to accept payment. This meant that Mellish had a paid job to go to as soon as he wanted.July 2026 On 7 November 1981, Bermondsey Labour Party selected Peter Tatchell, its secretary, as prospective Parliamentary candidate. Tatchell was a leading member of the left-wing faction that had taken control of the local party the previous year.The Battle for Bermondsey https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/history/the-battle-for-bermondsey/ 19 June 2019 Southwark News 4 March 2015 He was also a contributor to London Labour Briefing, a magazine that circulated among the London left, and had written an article suggesting the use of extra-Parliamentary direct action by the Labour Party, saying: "We must look to new, more militant forms of extra-parliamentary opposition which involve mass popular participation and challenge the government's right to rule".Thomas-Symonds Nick A Reinterpretation of Michael Foot's Handling of the Militant Tendency Contemporary British History 1 March 2005 19 1 27–51 10.1080/1361946042000303846 143832214 1361-9462 This call to civil disobedience was considered a call to violent action by some, and was used "as a stick to beat [Tatchell] with" by political opponents.Preview: First Rumours https://www.bigissuenorth.com/centre-stage/2019/02/preview-first-rumours/ 19 June 2019 Big Issue North 4 February 2019 For example, the article came to the attention of James Wellbeloved, a former London Labour MP who had defected to the Social Democratic Party; Wellbeloved then referred to it in a Parliamentary Question to Margaret Thatcher on 3 December.Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister House of Commons debates, 3 December 1981 TheyWorkForYou.com. Quoted in Thomas-Symonds, 2005. Labour Party leader Michael Foot responded to Wellbeloved by denouncing Tatchell's article and declared "the individual concerned is not an endorsed member of the Labour Party and as far as I'm concerned never will be".McSmith Andy No Such Thing as Society: A History of Britain in the 1980s 2010 Little, Brown Book Group 9781849016612 410–413 https://books.google.com/books?id=wameBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT410 19 June 2019 Tony Benn wrote in his diary that many people, including himself, thought that Foot had confused Peter Tatchell with Peter Taaffe, then the leader of the Trotskyist Militant tendency,Benn Tony The End Of An Era: Diaries 1980–1990 2012 Random House 9781446493380 182 https://books.google.com/books?id=AWEyBSAm7J0C&pg=RA4-PT182 19 June 2019 and Michael Crick in his book on Militant agrees that the fact that Tatchell and Taaffe have similar names contributed to public confusion between the two, despite the fact that Militant opposed Tatchell's candidacy due to anti-gay feeling and political differences between the old left (Militant) and new left (Tatchell) of the party.Crick Michael Militant 2016 Biteback 978-1-78590-029-7 200–201 As to whether Tatchell was a member of the Labour Party itself, Foot later clarified that he meant to say "endorsed candidate" instead of "endorsed member" in his response to Wellbeloved."It must be clear from the context that what I wished to say was 'not an endorsed candidate' ...". House of Commons Debates, 6th ser., vol. 14, col. 389, 3 May 1981. Quoted in Thomas-Symonds, 2005. At the next meeting of the Labour Party National Executive Committee, Tatchell was narrowly rejected as a candidate. Mellish was not reassured about the future direction of the Labour Party and resigned from it on 2 August 1982, a clear preliminary to resigning his seat, which he did by taking the Chiltern Hundreds on 1 November that year.http://archive-uat.catholicherald.co.uk/article/6th-august-1982/1/mellish-hits-out-at-labours-mafia Mellish hits out at Labour's "Mafia" August 6, 1982 Catholic Herald March 6, 2021 23 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201123160243/http://archive-uat.catholicherald.co.uk/article/6th-august-1982/1/mellish-hits-out-at-labours-mafia dead The left wing of the Labour Party agreed Tatchell would be eligible for selection, and Tatchell was duly selected again in January 1983. Tabloid newspapers had begun researching his background when Foot denounced him, in particular Tatchell's activities with the Gay Liberation Front in the early 1970s. Several stories were published which made it clear that he was gay. Other candidates At the 1981 Greater London Council election, the Liberal Party had come second in Bermondsey. They chose their GLC candidate Simon Hughes, a barrister who had moved to the constituency earlier that year, to fight the by-election.https://members.parliament.uk/member/194/career Rt Hon Simon Hughes UK Parliament March 6, 2021 The Conservatives chose Robert Hughes (no relation), who was a Greater London Council (GLC) councillor for Croydon Central. He later became the MP for Harrow West.https://members.parliament.uk/member/980/career Robert Hughes UK Parliament March 6, 2021 Among those who applied for the Conservative nomination but were not chosen was Sara Keays, then having an as yet unrevealed affair with Cecil Parkinson. The right-wing former Labour leader of Southwark Borough Council, John O'Grady, who had been a target for the left-wing faction locally, also decided to stand under the banner 'Real Bermondsey Labour' with Bob Mellish's support and encouragement. His campaign was dominated by personal opposition to Tatchell and defence of his leadership of the council. Twelve other candidates stood, including Screaming Lord Sutch, appearing for the first time under the Official Monster Raving Loony Party label, and the Dowager Lady Birdwood. Esmond Bevan intended to stand as an independent Labour candidate, but erroneously entered his occupation in the section on the nomination papers headed 'description', thus appearing on ballot papers as "Systems Designer". Start of the campaign The Labour campaign started disastrously when it was discovered that the first leaflets had been printed at Cambridge Heath Press, owned by the Militant tendency (then practising entryism in the Labour Party; a group whose five key members were expelled two days before polling day). The leaflets were all pulped and reprinted, but the cost of the first printing still counted against the limit for election spending.July 2026 Attacks on Tatchell There was much controversy over Tatchell's homosexuality, resulting in the campaign that was extremely bitter and described as the "dirtiest, most violent and homophobic by-election in modern British history". The Labour Party persuaded Tatchell to keep quiet about his sexual orientation, although he had previously declared himself 'out'.July 2026 Various campaigners for opposition candidates, as well as many within the Labour Party,https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/history/the-battle-for-bermondsey/ The Battle for Bermondsey March 4, 2015 Southwark News February 22, 2021 made homophobic comments about Tatchell. Widespread graffiti throughout the constituency referred to him in derogatory terms, while some of those putting up posters in his support found their windows attacked. Members of the Liberal Party were accused of having joined in homophobic attacks on Tatchell. Male Liberal canvassers were seen wearing badges reading "I've been kissed by Peter Tatchell",Simon Hughes: Saint or winner O'Grady Sean 7 January 2006 The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/simon-hughes-saint-or-winner-521909.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110806062545/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/simon-hughes-saint-or-winner-521909.html dead August 6, 2011 This extraordinary dedication has protected him in what ought to be, and once was, the solid Labour seat of Southwark Bermondsey. This is the constituency Hughes famously won for the then Liberal-SDP Alliance in a 1983 by-election, a contest described by Gay News as 'the dirtiest and most notorious by-election in British political history' because of the slurs on the Labour candidate Peter Tatchell, now better known as the force behind gay rights group Outrage!. During the campaign, some male Liberal workers wore badges reading 'I've been kissed by Peter Tatchell' and anonymous leaflets were circulating which asked 'which Queen do you support?'. London although this seems to have been a poor taste joke by gay members of the Liberal Party.Peter Tatchell & Simon Hughes talk about the 1983 Bermondsey by-election 22 February 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCDPzwEdhD0 2023-09-15 en Liberal campaigners also published leaflets saying it was "a straight choice" between Liberal and Labour. The tabloid press vilified Tatchell for both his left-wing and pro-LGBT views, and he was targeted by far-right groups.24 February 2013 Bermondsey by-election 1983: homophobia, hatred, smears and xenophobia https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bermondsey-byelection-1983-homophobia-hatred-smears-and-xenophobia-8508258.html 24 May 2022 The Independent en Some of the other by-election candidates joined in: John O'Grady (Southwark Council leader, who was promoted as the 'Real Bermondsey' Labour candidacy by the previous MP, Bob Mellish) was filmed touring the constituency on the back of a horse and cart, singing a song which referred to Tatchell "wearing his trousers back to front". On the last weekend of the campaign, an anonymous leaflet was sent round the constituency headed "Which Queen will you vote for?", contrasting the republican Tatchell, who was pictured looking very effeminate, with Queen Elizabeth II. The leaflet gave Tatchell's home address and telephone number.The 'homophobic' campaign that helped win Bermondsey Grice Andrew 27 January 2006 The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-homophobic-campaign-that-helped-win-bermondsey-524703.html Mr Tatchell, the openly gay Labour candidate in one of the dirtiest election campaigns in recent memory, said it was 'time to move on', despite Mr Hughes's admission yesterday of gay affairs. He said Mr Hughes would make the best leader of the Liberal Democrats. London dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090527140903/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-homophobic-campaign-that-helped-win-bermondsey-524703.html 27 May 2009 Tatchell claims he was assaulted in the street over 100 times while canvassing, including two attempts to run him down by car drivers, and that he received 30 death threats, including a bullet posted through his letterbox at night. His phone number and address were published, allegedly by the National Front.24 February 2015 Peter Tatchell recalls the dirtiest, most violent and anti-gay by-election in modern British history https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/02/24/peter-tatchell-recalls-the-dirtiest-most-violent-and-anti-gay-by-election-in-modern-british-history/ 24 May 2022 PinkNews While this was criticised by Roy Hattersley at a news conference, elements of the Labour party were also hostile to Tatchell on the grounds both of his politics and his sexuality.Simon Hughes: Saint or winner O'Grady Sean 7 January 2006 The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/simon-hughes-saint-or-winner-521909.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110806062545/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/simon-hughes-saint-or-winner-521909.html dead August 6, 2011 London He would later recall: "Subjected to 15 months of media smears, anti-gay violence and sabotage by the right of the party, I lost what had been a safe Labour seat."Peter Thatchell, "Bermondsey was the dirtiest, most violent British election of the 20th century – and we can learn from it today", The Guardian, 24 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023. An alternative analysis of Tatchell's eventual defeat was given by David Sutch, the Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate, in his 1991 autobiography. When being interviewed on TV at the by-election count, Sutch related to Tatchell how horrified he was at the treatment Tatchell had received, but added that "what I did not tell him was that he had been so bad a candidate that he had largely brought it on himself". Sutch criticised Tatchell's preference for press conferences and press releases rather than traditional meeting-and-greeting, which was generally regarded as the best way to win hearts and minds at a by-election. In a later interview, when the subject of Bermondsey came up, Sutch said that Tatchell "seemed to think all he needed to do to become the MP was turn up at the count".Sutch David Screaming Lord Sutch Life As Sutch 1992 Fontana 0006378056 In an interview with Simon Edge of The Independent published on 17 December 1996, the former Liberal Party Chief Executive, Andy Ellis, was asked whether he approved of the activity undertaken by the Liberal Gay Action Group, and replied "Nothing went on in Bermondsey that we were unhappy with".Edge Simon Mr Fix-it goes global https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/mr-fix-it-goes-global-5588265.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/mr-fix-it-goes-global-5588265.html 1 May 2022 subscription live 19 June 2019 The Independent 17 December 1996 During his campaign for leadership of the Liberal Democrats in January 2006, Hughes said he "had both homosexual and heterosexual relationships in the past"26 January 2006 Simon Hughes: "I'm bisexual" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2006/01/26/simon-hughes-im-bisexual/ 24 May 2022 PinkNews and apologised for the actions of Liberals in the Bermondsey campaign, saying that while a lot of the blame for homophobic abuse laid on the press, "I take responsibility" for the actions of his organisers, adding: "I have never been comfortable about the whole of that campaign, as Peter knows, and I said that to him in the past. ... Where there were things that were inappropriate or wrong, I apologise for that."King Oliver Hughes considered quitting leadership race https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/jan/26/liberaldemocrats.gayrights 19 June 2019 The Guardian 26 January 2006 Tatchell, by then a member of the Green Party, said that he had forgiven Hughes, saying "Simon benefited from these dirty tricks, but that was 23 years ago—I don't hold a grudge. It's time to forgive and move on", adding that Hughes should be judged on his 23-year record as an MP. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16633380&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=i-forgive-simon-for-his-gay-slurs-against-me--name_page.html Rosa Prince Peter Tatchell Forgives Simon Hughes for 'Gay Slurs' 18 June 2007 The Mirror 27 January 2006 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120204195112/http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16633380&method=full&siteid=115875&headline=i-forgive-simon-for-his-gay-slurs-against-me--name_page.html 2012-02-04tabloid July 2026 Opinion polls Bermondsey was one of the first by-elections to be extensively polled. The polls showed, at first, that the Labour vote was substantially down on the 1979 election figures, but that none of the rival candidates were particularly close. As the campaign went on, the Liberal candidate began to move into a clear second position and the other candidates faded. Later in the campaign, there were rumours which claimed that the right wing of the Labour Party nationally wished to lose the seat, as it would prove that left-wing Labour candidates were unelectable. By the eve of poll, it was clear that large numbers of previously Labour voters were defecting to other parties, and that non-Labour voters were lining up in support of the Liberal candidate as the one most likely to beat Labour.July 2026 Result The Liberals made huge gains and took the seat, with a majority of votes cast.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1983/feb/25/byelections.past Liberals romp home with a giant swing The Guardian February 25, 1983 David McKie January 8, 2011 Labour's vote fell from 63.6 per cent in May 1979 to 26.1 per cent as Tatchell came a distant second, while O'Grady took third. The Conservatives managed only fourth place, for the first time since the 1974 Newham South by-election, and the last in Britain until the 1991 Liverpool Walton by-election. All candidates other than Liberal and Labour lost their deposits. Hughes would go on to represent Bermondsey and successor constituencies for the next 32 years, making him one of very few examples of MPs who took a formerly safe seat from another party and managed to hold it for a long period of time.July 2026 1983 Bermondsey by-election Liberal Party (UK) Simon Hughes 17,017 57.7 50.9 Labour Party (UK) Peter Tatchell 7,698 26.1 37.5 Real Bermondsey Labour #FFBBBB John O'Grady 2,243 7.6 New Conservative Party (UK) Robert Hughes 1,631 5.5 19.4 National Front (United Kingdom) James Sneath 426 1.4 2.5 Official Monster Raving Loony Party David Sutch 97 0.3 New Independent Patriot Jane Birdwood 69 0.2 New New Britain Party Michael Keulemans 62 0.2 New Independent Labour Barry Giddings 50 0.2 New Communist Party of Great Britain Robert Gordon 50 0.2 New Ecology Party George Hannah 45 0.2 New Revolutionary Communist Party (UK, 1978) Fran Eden 38 0.1 New National Labour Party Ann King 25 0.1 New United Democratic Party Alan Baker 15 0.1 New Anti Common Market and Free Trade Party David Wedgwood 15 0.1 New Systems Designer Esmond Bevan 8 0.0 New 9,319 31.6 N/A 29,489 57.7 –1.6 Liberal Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) +44.2 The result for the previous election was: 1979 general election: Bermondsey Labour Party (UK) Bob Mellish 19,338 63.6 –9.8 Conservative Party (UK) Alexander Duma 7,582 24.9 +11.1 Liberal Party (UK) Thomas Taylor 2,072 6.8 –1.3 National Front (United Kingdom) James Sneath 1,175 3.9 –0.9 Workers Revolutionary Party (UK) Anthony Moore 239 0.8 New 11,756 38.7 –20.9 30,406 59.3 –2.9 Labour Party (UK) –10.5 See also Bermondsey (UK Parliament constituency) Miranda Grell References 2 External links British Parliamentary By Elections: Campaign literature from the by-election Bermondsey,1983 Bermondsey,1983 Bermondsey by-election Bermondsey by-election Category:Bermondsey Category:1983 in LGBTQ history Category:LGBTQ politics in the United Kingdom Bermondsey by-election